A Little Hooper: A Sherlolly Story

Chapter One

Molly was in disbelief. She stared down at the floor, ignoring the buzzing in her ears as best as she could.

"It just isn't working for me."

His words swam around in her head. He said it as if it was a good enough explanation, as if he thought that was a good enough reason to abandon their child. His child.

Molly could hear her daughter plodding about the living room, could see her out of the corner of her eye. She looked so happy, walking only a little unsteadily on her feet towards Molly's mother. Annie Hooper had made the two-hour journey at the drop of a hat. She'd strolled through the door without hesitation and pulled her only daughter against her, whispering words of comfort into Molly's chestnut brown hair. After a cup of tea and a tearful conversation, her mother had dropped a kiss on her forehead before turning down Elodie Anne Hooper's whimpers on the monitor and sweeping upstairs to attend to her grandbaby.

Ellie's laughter invaded the air like a firework, battling Molly's cannonball thoughts. She shook her shoulders, ran her hands through her hair and told herself to buck up. Henry Hooper always said she was made of tougher stuff, and she would prove to him today that she could be. But she could not deny the knot in her stomach that pleaded for a fatherly embrace.

"Mummy!"

Elodie's still chubby little hands stretched out towards Molly from her grandma's shoulder. Molly stuck a smile on her face and reached right back, pulling her mini-me into her arms. She brushed her curls back from her face, long and the same shade as her own. Her father's eyes stared back at her mother, bright and shining with love and hope and happiness.

"Hi, my little bumblebee."

Her daughter pressed their noses together, as was customary. Her little hands came up to Molly's cheeks and she pulled back with an adorable furrow in her brow.

"Why Mummy sad?"

Molly's already broken heart crumbled further. She pressed a wet half kiss half raspberry on her daughter's cheek before tickling her, making Ellie squirm in her arms.

"I'm not sad, Ells. Thank you for checking though!"

"Welcome."

Her daughter's proud little blush was enough to make Molly smile for real, her very own dimples being reflected back at her. As she swooped her daughter up into the air before placing her on the floor, she made her final decision. They didn't need him, she and Ellie would be fine on their own.

In hindsight, she should have seen it coming when he insisted Elodie take Molly's last name, that was the first sign. He had been interested during the pregnancy, reading up on whatever he could, helping build the furniture and rubbing Molly's feet after a long day at work. He'd been there for the labour, for the shouting and screaming and her blaming him for the pain ripping through her body. He had smiled through that, squeezed her hand, and told her she was doing great before cutting the umbilical cord. He had held their baby, wonder in his eyes. He had kissed Molly's forehead. He had even told her to go back to sleep when Elodie woke up, sometimes. He had had the makings of being a good father, and Molly let herself believe it.

Now, sitting and watching her daughter play with her mother, she could see the red flags. The signs that she must have chosen to ignore because they were so clear. The late nights, the travelling for work, the offish attitude that started to grow. The secret phone calls and the sudden lack of affection.

When he left, she was crushed. But she got on with it, she raised their daughter and allowed him time with her whenever he wanted. Soon enough, that too diminished and when she looked through her peephole this morning and saw him standing there, the black hole that opened in her stomach told her she knew what was coming. He couldn't do this anymore, not just the long since lost relationship, but the whole father thing too.

"It just isn't working for me."

She had almost laughed. Instead, she had taken the small bag of Elodie's things he'd brought with him (another sign she should have seen) and closed the door in his face. He didn't knock again; he didn't say anything else. He just pushed an envelope through the door and walked away. Molly was dialling her mum before she heard her gate close. The tears allowed themselves to fall.

Thank God Ellie was asleep at the time. For all his many faults, his many flaws and bad decisions, Ellie loved him. She smiled when she saw him, putting on her best face. It broke her when Molly discovered from her Mum that Elodie did her best not to cry around her father, lest he lose interest in her and fob her off to the nearest person. Ellie had told her grandma this a few weeks ago after her father had done just that when she cried saying goodbye to him. She had curled up against her grandmother and admitted tearily that she always tried to be good when she was with her daddy, devastated that she had messed up this time. Elodie was on her best behaviour for him, and he bloody well didn't deserve it. She adored him, she only wanted to make him happy, and now he merely tolerated her. His own child basically had to beg for his attention while he progressively lost interest in her. He would show up, let her hug him and be silent as she chatted away at him, which was a facsimile of a parenting guide at best.

He didn't love Molly, he didn't love Elodie. And so, the Hooper girls would persevere without him. Molly had been without his help for a long time, she certainly didn't need his time.

Opening the envelope, she signed where necessary and slipped it into her handbag. She would post it first thing tomorrow morning.